Handprint
by northstar333
Summary: Rin's favorite thing is her toy puppy. It seems to mean everything to her. Deprived of Rin's usual show of affection, Sesshoumaru should feel relieved but instead...maybe he's jealous?
1. Part 1

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

# Handprint part 1 #

Sesshoumaru strode back down the path, internally grumbling over the irony that _he, _an inu taiyoukai, was fetching the toy that Rin had left behind like a common dog. Normally, such an errand was something he'd immediately delegate to Jaken—but the little green imp had returned empty handed twice and Sesshoumaru was tired of Rin's tears. With his superior sense of smell, locating the small stuffed animal was no problem. It wasn't the _difficulty_ of the task that deterred him; it was the _dignity_ that such a task offended.

But Rin, for whatever reason, was very attached to the little white puppy the girl Kagome had given her as a present. The toy was a source of comfort for Rin, and without it she would suffer from nightmares. Between that and the unnerving, rare occurrence of Rin's tears, he found himself willing to simply find the thing rather than endure her melancholy.

What was a minor inconvenience compared to restored harmony among his small group?

Sesshoumaru scowled.

Since when had he started to think of them as _his?_

The two headed dragon, dubbed Ahun by Rin, was his mount but both Jaken and Rin followed him of their own free will. Both were tied to him by life debts; but he'd made no demands that they repay him. If anything, he was rather they _not_ try to repay him and just leave him alone. It was just as well that he didn't make a habit of saving live. Otherwise he'd be trailing along as many, if not more companions than Inuyasha did.

He stopped, scanning the area slowly for the tell tale white of the stuffed animal. If he remembered right, this was the last place he'd seen Rin carrying it. His nose twitched ever so slightly as a breeze danced past him, teasing him with the smells it carried. Two steps down the trail, Sesshoumaru knelt, reaching into the snagging branches of a bush to pull out the slightly dirty, slightly abused looking puppy.

For a moment, he remained where he was, studying the toy in his grasp.Bits of scraps, thread, and stuffing were all it was, and yet it had the power to ward away Rin's nightmares.

His blade saved her life. His claws kept her safe. His presence was the centre about which her own existence revolved.

Yet it was the puppy she held close. The puppy that she petted and loved. The puppy that, when it went missing, she shed tears for.

_Would she cry for him?_

Sesshoumaru stood, eyeing the stuffed animal with the half formed intent of shredding it with his claws. Only the thought of returning empty handed kept him from destroying it.

It wasn't as if he envied the little toy the handling by dirty hands or the soaking of silent tears or the happy smiles.

He was a tai youkai. What need did _he_ have for the affection of an orphaned girl?

His fingers closed around the toy just a little too tightly, his knuckles turning white. Without another word, he returned to camp, noting the way Rin's eyes lit with relief and joy. And the way they never strayed from the toy in his grasp to his own impassive face. With muted reluctance, he surrendered the puppy into Rin's reaching hands. He directed his gaze away, but there was no escaping the way his acute hearing picked up the reassuring words Rin whispered to her toy.

Abruptly, Sesshoumaru decided he'd rather be any where else but at their campsite. Striding off into the forest until the shadows hid him from view, he could not stop himself from stealing a backwards glance to see if she'd missed him.

From the way she cradled the puppy against her, he couldn't tell if she'd even noticed his departure.

Sesshoumaru paused a moment longer, his eyes on Rin. Then he disappeared into the shadows, alone in his solitude.


	2. Part 2

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

# Handprint part 2 #

All that was left of the fire was a thin trail of smoke when Sesshoumaru returned to camp.

He came to a halt, looking down at the curled form of Rin as she slept, the puppy in her arms. He let his eyes roam over her, his mind suspiciously blank as he refused to acknowledge either his recent actions or the motives behind them.

Settling himself beside her, his back against the tree whose roots cradled Rin in her sleep, he let himself ponder why her possessiveness of the toy bothered him.

Perhaps because, before the gift, he'd been the focal point of her every waking hour? Perhaps because, once she'd received the puppy, he'd not once received a gift of flowers from her? Perhaps because, after the presentation of the gift, all he heard was praise for Kagome from Rin's lips?

Of course not. Those were paltry things; unnoticeable to an inu taiyoukai like himself.

Ignoring the weight of his thoughts, he reached out with a tentative finger and hooked it under the lax, curled fingers of one small hand. Lifting it up, he brushed his thumb pad over the tiny knuckles, marveling over the size difference. The sight of dirt under those little fingernails made him smile faintly, remembering all the times Rin brought him flowers—root and all.

With a delicacy and gentleness unlike his usual self, he brushed the back of the first knuckle of his index finger up and down the hollow of her small palm. Caressing Rin's hand as she lay sleeping, he studied it with distracted absorption, a vulnerable light in his amber eyes.


	3. Part 3

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

# Handprint part 3 #

"…Sesshoumaru!..." Rin said in amid her chatter, catching Sesshoumaru's attention.

"Rin!" Jaken scolded immediately. "That's –sama to a lowly human like you!"

"I wasn't talking about Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin retorted, sticking out her tongue. "I was talking about _Sesshoumaru!"_

Slightly befuddled by her reply, Jaken blinked at her a moment before being able to form a retort. "I don't see any difference! You need to learn respect! Sesshoumaru-sama is merciful enough to—"

"Jaken-sama!" Rin interrupted with exasperation. "_This_ is Sesshoumaru!"

She held up the puppy.

Jaken sputtered ineffectively; finding his voice at last. "S-stupid! You can't name your _toy_ after Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Can too!" Rin shot back. She turned to Sesshoumaru. "Can't I?" she asked, her dark eyes beseeching.

Sesshoumaru regarded her with deceptively casual amber eyes.

"Why have you named your toy after me?" he asked quietly.

"Because it's a white dog like Sesshoumaru-sama!" she replied happily, the logic of such an association perfectly clear in her eight year old mind.

"Rin! You—" Jaken shouted, but before he could continue, Sesshoumaru cut him off.

"Jaken," he said warningly. The little imp stuttered to a sullen silence and watched with resentful eyes as Rin smiled sweetly up at Sesshoumaru.

Feigning indifference, Sesshoumaru took the lead down the forest trail, musing over whether there was any deeper meaning behind Rin's actions.

Had she just named the toy after him because they were both dogs or was there something more to it?

He fought back a self deprecating smile, darkly amused at himself.

She was just a human girl. And yet, she was occupying his thoughts far more than he'd ever admit to. He was spending time puzzling over her actions when probably there _were_ no ulterior motives.

Enough.

Whether Rin favored a toy over himself was something of no consequence.

Refusing to waste any more time on it, he forced himself to think of other things…and succeeded, for a while.


	4. Part 4

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

# Handprint part 4 #

"Sesshoumaru-sama, are you sad?"

The tight grip of Rin's hand on his pant leg and the sudden sound of her voice jolted him from his distracted contemplation. Looking down, he saw the concern in her dark eyes and was surprised to find himself relieved.

Had he already gotten to the point where he looked for affirmation of her affection? Where he felt the lack if she did _not_ show him any regard?

_Yes._

The conclusion of his thoughts unsettled him greatly. Seeing the worry clouding her eyes, seeing the determination in her clenched hand went a long way towards quieting his inner discontent and making him feel reassured.

Such a short time ago, he would have felt nothing but annoyance.

Such a short time ago, he would have evaded such a personal question, even if the answer was a simple one to give. But a part of him previously unknown even to himself prompted him to ease her anxiety.

"No," he replied to her honest query.

"Are you sick?"

"No."

"Are you angry?"

"No."

"Is something wrong?"

"No," he said with a touch of impatience, his momentary mood of indulgence swiftly passing. "Why do you ask, Rin?" he continued, silencing her next question.

Rin tilted her head to the side, her large dark eyes regarding him with frighteningly accurate understanding.

"Because you look lonely," she said simply.

"I prefer to be alone, Rin. That is not the same as being lonely," he clarified, his tone brisk to the point of being sharp.

"Oh," she said softly, looking chest fallen. She glanced down and away, her face changing to an expression that was wistful, almost sad. "Rin doesn't like being alone," she added, "Rin thought that maybe Sesshoumaru-sama didn't like being alone either."

The moment to form a reply, to bid her tell him whether the toy was more important to her, passed as he remained mute, unable to voice his hidden worries. It was with sudden, keen regret that he watched Rin scamper off—puppy in her arms—to admire a clump of wildflowers by the trail.


	5. Part 5

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

# Handprint part 5 #

"Sesshoumaru-sama, has something displeased you?" Jaken asked respectfully, the firelight flickering across his anxious face.

Rin, asleep on the other side of the fire, murmured in her sleep and curled herself tighter around her puppy at the sound of his voice.

Sesshoumaru regarded his little green servant with unreadable, pensive eyes. When no other reply than stony silence was forthcoming, the imp tried again.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, is there something that concerns you? Perhaps there is something I, Jaken, may do in service to you that ease whatever troubles you?"

"That won't be necessary," Sesshoumaru answered Jaken at last, his eyes straying to the restless form of Rin. Never taking his gaze from the small girl, he continued, his voice impersonal and commanding, but not cruel. "Sleep, Jaken. There is nothing I require from you."

"Yes master," Jaken replied, reluctantly giving up as he moved to obey.

Sesshoumaru sat staring into the fire, letting his thoughts drift as they would. It wasn't until Jaken's rustling noises turned into even snores that he stirred. Switching the positions of his legs, he bent the knee of the left one upward as he straightened out the right one along the ground. Reaching out with his fingers, Sesshoumaru smoothed a fold of his pant leg out of the way to reveal a small, grubby handprint on the otherwise pristine white silk.

He scowled at it darkly, as if by the very act of his glare he could remove the stain. His clothing was made from the silk of youkai silk worms. That small handprint should never have soiled it in the first place; and by an exercise of his own will, he should be able to _force_ the dirt free of the silk with his youki.

And yet, the small handprint remained, stark and tauntingly vivid against the pure expanse of the silk.

It could only be there because _he, Sesshoumaru, wanted it to be there._ For whatever reason, his subconscious wish for it to stay was stronger than his conscious will to make it disappear. Which meant that there it remained until he either replaced the silk, or he resolved his inner conflict.

In the quiet of the night, no one heard Sesshoumaru's muttered curse.


	6. Part 6

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

# Handprint part 6 #

For a handful of days, the handprint remained on his clothing, unnoticed by his companions. In that time, Sesshoumaru came no closer to either identifying the source of his problem or the course of action that would resolve it. Acutely self conscious of the stain, his companions found him to be quick tempered and easily irritable. Rin, Jaken, and Ahun took extra care to not incite his anger or draw his attention. Sesshoumaru spent that quiet, tense time deep in contemplation, the adaptations his group made to compensate for his dark mood completely lost on him.

Until Jaken noticed the stain and dared to remark upon it.

"Ah, Sesshoumaru-sama! It's horrible! Rin has left a dirty handprint on your clothing!" the imp cried as he dared to latch onto Sesshoumaru's pant leg. Immediately Jaken turned and gave Rin an impressive glower.

"Look what you've done, filthy human! Sesshoumaru-sama has killed youkai for less offense than this! Beg for your life, or you will surely die!" Jaken continued as he pointed an accusatory finger at Rin, who was perched atop Ahun. Immediately, Rin's dark eyes filled with tears and her wide, fearful gaze sought out Sesshoumaru's impassive face. Her grip on the puppy tightened to a strangle hold; and he could tell from the small, defensive light that flared to life in Rin's eyes that she took strength from the presence of the little toy.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

Jaken let out a small squawk and threw himself to the ground, bowing his head profusely.

"Ah, forgive her my lord! She is just a little human! She doesn't know any better! Please, Sesshoumaru-sama! Do not dirty your hands with the blood of a lowly human! I, Jaken, will see to her punishment, if you only will let her live! I—"

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru cut in coldly. _"Silence."_

Choking back his next words, the imp fell silent. He turned worried eyes towards Rin, glancing from his master's stoic face to the little girl's frightened, defiant one. Sesshoumaru's angry, slightly glowing gold eyes were locked with Rin's teary, determined ones.

"Rin," Sesshoumaru said quietly. "Do you believe I will kill you?"

For a long moment, Rin was mute, her eyes fastened onto his face. Then she shook her head slowly, hugging her puppy to her chest.

"No," she whispered into the tense, deathly still silence.

At her answer, the ire died from Sesshoumaru's eyes and both Jaken and Rin visibly relaxed.

"That's 'No, Sesshoumaru-sama!' to you!" Jaken blustered, covering up his relief.

"No, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin obediently repeated, her usual show of protest at having to obey Jaken missing.

Ignoring them both, Sesshoumaru started on ahead. The issue of the handprint remained unresolved, but neither of his companions showed any further inclination to risk his anger in an attempt to broach the subject again.


	7. Part 7

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

# Handprint part 7 #

The puppy went missing again. Out on one of her forays for food, Rin had returned with an armful of fruit, her puppy left in the tree she'd plucked clean.

Of course, Sesshoumaru knew approximately where the puppy was, but like before, he sent Jaken out to search for it. What was the point of having a self proclaimed servant if that servant didn't serve? Except this time, Rin joined in the search, the worried, almost frantic look on her face affecting him far more than he let on. Clenching his teeth, he bore with it, knowing that he should wait until both Jaken and Rin had made an adequate search for it before he finally grew "impatient" and intervened.

Leaving Ahun peacefully grazing, Sesshoumaru retraced Rin's recent scent trail back to the fruit tree. There, wedged in the fork of two branches was the missing toy. He retrieved it without preamble, holding the thing as he considered how troublesome it had become, and whether maybe, just maybe, it would be better for it to go missing permanently.

An image of Rin's upset face flashed through his mind.

Grinding his teeth with irritation, he tucked the toy away into the folds of his kimono. He returned to Ahun and waited for Rin and Jaken to give up their search. The imp was first to appear, his face a picture of pensive frustration. Rin remained unseen until Jaken, sensing his master's impatience, went to fetch her.

Tired, dirty, tearful, Rin trailed reluctantly behind Jaken, glancing forlornly over her shoulder every few paces.

"Rin," Sesshoumaru addressed her. "Do you wish to remain behind to look for the toy?"

She blinked, considering his words. "Sesshoumaru-sama would leave?" she asked for clarification.

"Yes," he responded, no inflection in his voice.

Rin gave the forest one last yearning glance. Then she turned her back on it for good. "No. Rin will go with Sesshoumaru-sama."

"You would leave without finding the toy?" Sesshoumaru asked; a tiny spark of surprised curiosity in his eyes and voice.

"Rin would rather not be left behind," she stated resolutely, her eyes still sad.

Smoothing all expression from his face, Sesshoumaru was careful to hide the light, almost carefree emotion her words invoked.

He gave a small sigh, as if immensely troubled by what he was about to do.

"Stay here," he instructed his group as he strode off into the forest. Making sure he vanished from their line of sight, he let a short time pass before he returned to them.

Holding out the toy to an overjoyed, smiling Rin, he made sure to scowl slightly.

"In the future, you will take greater care not to misplace your belongings. Is that understood?" he reprimanded her with gravity in his voice.

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she piped happily, dancing about him with exuberant joy. Feeling indulgent, Sesshoumaru let the smallest light of a smile soften his gold eyes. The fact remained that she would choose _him_ over the _toy_ if it came down to a choice He did his best not to preen or look smug, his dark mood dissipating rapidly.

Let her lose the thing again. Let _him_ be the one to find it, so that her sunny smiles were once more exclusively _his._

Seshoumaru abruptly frowned.

Not that he cared either way, of course. After all, she was just a human girl…right?


	8. Part 8

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

# Handprint part 8 #

Sesshoumaru was alone, following the scent trail of a youkai he'd never smelled before, when the siren song of Rin's scream reached his ears. Without conscious direction, his body was already in motion, blurring through the forest as he pushed the limits of his strength and speed to get to her. Had he truly time to contemplate the way he jumped to her rescue every time, he might have become disgusted with himself for rushing so quickly to the aid of a mere human.

But at the sound of her scream, his mind went blank and his body moved and his entire focus became the task of preserving her life through whatever means necessary.

_How dare anything threaten her!_

His scent mingled with hers, marking her as his companion. Only the truly desperate or the truly foolish ignored such a sign as that.

His fingers sought and found Toukijin's hilt, his hand closing around the grip. In one smooth motion, Sesshoumaru drew the sword as his target came into sight. A single slice was enough to split Rin's attacker in two messy halves. Flicking the blood from his blade, he tucked Toukijin back into his sash. He turned, his eyes finding Rin as he assessed for himself that she was alright.

The sound of her soft, distressed cry unnerved him; so much so that for the briefest of moments his face betrayed his surprise. Drawing closer to her, he scented the air again, reassured when he found no trace of her blood.

"Rin! _Rin!_" Jaken shouted as he shook the sobbing girl. "What is wrong? Are you hurt? Speak up girl!!"

With a couple more loud sniffles, Rin uncurled enough that they could both see what she cradled in her arms.

Her little puppy, covered with gore.

Not drop of blood stained Rin's person except where the toy touched her kimono. Sensing that her attacker was nothing more than a lowlife youkai, Sesshoumaru had had the luxury of extra seconds before he dealt the death blow to make sure the shower of blood did not touch either himself or Rin.

He'd forgotten to take such care with the toy.

He watched with an impassive face as Rin rocked the puppy and cried over it. He missed, with sudden acute regret, the time before the toy when Rin's tears had been next to non existent. The bright smile and happy praise he might have received for saving her life was forgotten as Rin's puppy completely preoccupied her attention.

"Rin! Stupid girl, making me worry like that just because of a _toy!_" Jaken growled grumpily. "Dry your tears! Have you even thanked Sesshoumaru-sama properly yet for saving your worthless life?!"

Sesshoumaru waited quietly to the side, watching the two interact. Upon Jaken's mention of his name, Rin spared him a tearful glance, her dark eyes distracted and anxious.

"Thank you," she said as she continued to worry over her puppy.

"That's 'Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama!' to you!" Jaken corrected angrily, working himself into a proper tirade. "Stupid! It's just a _toy,_ so stop crying! We'll probably have to get rid of it now anyways since it's so disgusting—"

"No!" Rin interrupted; her tone tinged with panic. "We're not getting rid of it! It's _mine!"_

"You can't keep it!" Jaken shot back. "You can't carry around something smelling of blood! Every hungry youkai for miles will come and try to eat you—not that they don't already, stupid human—but imagine how much worse it will be! Sooner or later Sesshoumaru-sama will grow tired of saving you and then they'll get you! You and your little dog too!"

"No!" Rin shot back, stubbornly refusing to listen to reason. "Sesshoumaru is _mine!_ I won't give him up!"

Jaken sputtered, his face turning interesting shades of green as his temper rose. "It! It! _It's_ just a _toy!_ A _thing!_ You'll have to give it up—"

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru cut in. "Enough. Rin, dry your tears."

Biting back his protests, Jaken shot Rin a baleful look as she turned beseeching eyes towards Sesshoumaru.

"I can keep it, right?" she asked hopefully.

Sesshoumaru studied her for a moment, the silence stretching out between them as his mind raced for an acceptable solution. One quickly occurred to him, but he was reluctant to voice it out loud, hating the fact that it was the only way that offered any hope of salvaging the toy.

"The girl Kagome may know how to remove the stains. _If_ she can do so, then you may keep the toy, Rin," he replied at last.


	9. Part 9

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

# Handprint part 9 #

Reluctantly Rin relinquished the puppy into Kagome's care, her face a mask of worry because the other girl had made no guarantees. Youkai blood was very messy, the residual youki in the bodily fluids making the stain resistant to cleaning. Usually, the only solution was to buy new to replace that stained material. Kagome told Rin that the toy was "machine washable" and that there was a chance her mother might be able to get out the stains. She promised, with an awkward smile, that she would get Rin a new stuffed animal to replace the old one.

"Rin would rather have _that_ one," the little girl admitted softly, her dark eyes shadowed with anxiety.

"But Rin-chan, wouldn't you like a new one? This one's falling apart at the seams! Even if we clean it, that one won't last much longer…" Kagome trailed off as first one tear, then another streaked down Rin's cheeks.

"But it won't be _Sesshoumaru!"_ she protested. _"That's_ the one that looks just like Sesshoumaru-sama in his doggie form!"

"I could find another puppy—" Kagome cajoled.

"I don't want another one," Rin insisted. "_Sesshoumaru's_ the only one I want."

"Alright," Kagome relented, sensing that she was only making Rin more and more upset. "I'll see if I can't get Sesshoumaru—is that his name?—looking as good as new."

"Okay," Rin replied between sniffs, her eyes fastened on the bloody toy.

"I'll take good care of him, don't worry Rin-chan," Kagome assured her, ruffling Rin's dark hair with a gentle hand. "I bet he'll miss you more than you'll miss him."

"How so?" Rin asked, momentarily distracted from her tears.

"Well, because you've still got the _real_ Sesshoumaru, right? So even though I'm taking Sesshoumaru away with me, you'll still have someone with you, right?" Kagome pointed out.

"Rin won't be alone," Rin agreed tentatively, testing the words out loud. "Because Rin has Sesshoumaru-sama."

"And Jaken, and the um, two headed dragon. They'll be with you too, right?"

"Right!" Rin responded, perking up. She wrinkled her nose. "Except Jaken-sama. You can take Jaken-sama with you too if you want."

"Rin!" Jaken protested in the background, but both girls ignored him.

"Be back soon!" Kagome said as with a wave of her hand she vanished into the well.

With mouths gaping, both Jaken and Rin rushed over to peer into the well. Nothing remained of Kagome, only the dirty bottom of the well was visible.

"That's it?" Rin queried with amazement in her voice.

"Apparently," Sesshoumaru responded mildly as both Jaken and Rin exclaimed over the mystery of the well some more. "Come," he commanded as he led the way back to Ahun, expecting to be followed.

"But, aren't we going to wait for Kagome-sama?" Rin dared to protest.

"Stupid! She said she would return in three days. You don't want to spend all that time _here, _do you?"

"Yes," Rin replied with a stubborn set to her jaw. "Rin will be fine here. You go with Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Silly girl! What will you eat? Who will protect you? No! You're coming with us—"

"No! Rin wants to wait here!" the little girl shot back, sitting down with her arms folded.

Sesshoumaru turned, catching the tail end of the exchange. "Rin," he said quietly, his even tone tinged with warning. "We will return in time to see Kagome's return. Now, _come."_

Assured by Sesshoumaru's words, Rin moved to obey, her previous stubbornness gone. Popping up like a bouncy ball, Rin skipped to catch up to Sesshoumaru.

"C'mon Jaken-sama!" the little girl called gleefully over her shoulder. "Hurry up or you'll get left behind!"

"St-stupid!" Jaken panted as he ran full out to try to keep up. "Don't leave meeee!"

The lilting, taunting echo of Rin's laughter carried through the forest, followed by the grumpy shouts of Jaken as both of them followed Sesshoumaru deeper into the wilderness.


	10. Part 10

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

# Handprint part 10 #

The dying fire reflected eerily in Rin's eyes as, like the night before, she fought to stay awake. Dark red and amber gold danced across Rin's face, so that her brown eyes were alternately the color of crimson blood, then the color of polished gold.

For a time, Sesshoumaru watched her in silence, holding his tongue as he let her do as she pleased. When her drooping eyelids fluttered closed for the third time and she jerked awake, he decided it was finally time to intervene.

"Rin," he chastised her quietly, "Sleep."

Refusing to meet his steady gaze, Rin gave a stubborn, drowsy shake of her head.

"Can't," she mumbled, fear and panic laced through her tone.

"Why not?" he queried, with a hint of exasperation.

"Rin will have bad dreams," she replied, looking slightly more alert.

Sesshoumaru tilted his head slightly to the side, regarding her with amber eyes devoid of mocking, impatience, anger, or derision. Without conscious thought, he looked at her with a faint light of worry in his eyes. He frowned slightly, his expression one of casual reproof.

"You are human, Rin, and you have already gone one night without rest. Go to sleep."

"No!" Rin protested; her wide dark eyes filled with the terrors that haunted her dreams.

"I will be here, watching over you. Is that not enough to quiet your night terrors?"

Her eyes met his, the steady, serious light of truth his eyes clashing with the anxious, frightened light in hers. Rin whimpered, shying away from his searching gaze. His eyes hardened, a spark of anger flaring to life in them.

"I'm afraid," she cried softly into the night, cringing away from his temper.

"Do you doubt my ability to keep you safe?" he asked softly, his voice quiet and deadly.

"No," Rin replied quickly, her dark eyes flashing back up to meet his so he could read the sincerity in her gaze. "But…"

"…You do not have your puppy to keep the nightmares away," Sesshoumaru finished for her. The anger vanished from his eyes, replaced by a solemn melancholy that made him look almost forlorn.

Rin gave a small nod, her eyes widening as she realized how lonely he looked, all by himself. He broke eye contact, looking away from her, but the hard set of his mouth betrayed his unhappiness.

"It is just a toy. Stuffing and stitches. I gave you life. I see to your needs. Yet, that _thing_ quiets your nightmares; and I cannot," he made a statement out of it, his voice thickening slightly as he fought to keep his tone even and neutral. Calling himself ten times the fool, Sesshoumaru turned fully away, masking the naked turmoil inside. She was _just_ a little girl, a mere _mortal;_ and yet…her handprint, small and perfect, remained on his clothing because he…treasured it being there. He hadn't let himself admit that he was _jealous_ of the attention Rin bestowed upon the stuffed animal. That all of the kisses, hugs, smiles, giggles, and touches she gave the puppy he considered rightfully _his._ _He_ had returned her bright smile to this world, and it was _his and his alone. _He'd never required payment from her for the new kimono, had never ordered her to _serve_ as he did Jaken, had never placed _any_ restriction upon her that wasn't for her own benefit.

All he wanted in return was her smile.

That smile, just for him.

Not until the puppy deprived him of her adoring attention had he realized that her bubbly personality didn't _annoy_ him anymore. That instead, he _missed_ being the center of her attention. He…

Rin spoke up, interrupting his thoughts.

"Sesshoumaru-sama can keep Rin's nightmares away," the little girl said at last, her dark eyes hopeful and wistful at once. "But Rin never thought Sesshoumaru-sama would be willing to."

"I was always willing," he answered softly, before he could censor his thoughts. The sound of his own voice in the night startled him, making him realize with dawning apprehension what he'd admitted aloud. He felt the stirrings of dread and hope spiral through him as he waited for her response.

"Will Sesshoumaru-sama…hold Rin?" she asked with sweet and tentative hope.

Shocked down to the very core of his solitary soul, he could only stare at her with disbelief. The arrested, startled look on his face seemed to encourage rather than deter her, for with a happy, tentative smile, she crawled onto his lap. Snuggling against him, she squirmed about a bit, making herself comfortable.

Speechless with bemusement, Sesshoumaru let her, watching with distracted fascination as she grew quiet, her little arms wrapped around the end of his fluffy. The soft sounds of her sucking her thumb lapsed into the quiet, even puffs of her exhales before he collected enough of his composure to even begin to be offended.

For a moment, he considered moving her off of him, wondering if she would even know the difference now that she was asleep. Shifting slightly, he began to ease his arm under her, but the way that her hands curled into fists and her face scrunched up made him pause. Immediately, she lapsed back into a more peaceful sleep, her face content and carefree as she dreamed.

He watched her sleep for a while, musing over his quandary. It didn't truly bother him to have her in his lap; and it was nothing more than he deserved—having brought the latest turn of events upon himself.

With a small, put upon sigh, Sesshoumaru let her remain where she was, undisturbed for the rest of the night.


	11. Part 11

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

# Handprint part 11 #

Kagome returned, clutching a white bag that was sealed shut. Reluctantly, with sympathy in her eyes, she handed Rin the package.

"I'm sorry, Rin-chan," she said.

Dread replaced the fragile light of hope in Rin's eyes as she broke the seal and the mingled smell of ripe carnage and toxic cleaner filled the air. Gingerly Rin reached into the bag and withdrew the toy, wrinkling her nose as the pungent scent intensified. The once white, once plush puppy was mottled with deep, red brown stains, its fur all but gone.

"We tried, my mother and I, but nothing worked…" Kagome trailed off, a look of helpless frustration on her face. "We all went and chose a new one. Even Souta, my little brother, helped pick this one out."

Kagome held out a wrapped package towards Rin. "I know that you didn't want a new one, but my mother insisted that every little girl should have a doll to play with…although I don't think what we wound up with was what she had in mind."

Rin eyed the bright, shiny paper, her curiosity peaked. Tucking the puppy back into its bag, she set it aside and reached for the present. Rin tore through the paper, fumbling with the cardboard box until the clear plastic side was face up.

For a long moment, Rin said nothing, her eyes wide with surprise. Giving in to their curiosity, everyone struggled to catch a peak at the toy in the box. Sesshoumaru, with an unfriendly, uncompromising glint to his gold eyes, commandeered the prime spot directly behind Rin. The inu taiyoukai caught one glimpse of what Rin was holding, and came down with an inexplicable case of sneezes that did not—quite—cover his muffled snorts. Excusing himself rapidly, Sesshoumaru distanced himself from Rin and the obnoxious scent of the puppy—which of course he blamed as the cause of his sudden fit.

"It's Jaken!" Rin piped up at last, a smile brightening her confused face.

"S-st-st-st-stupid!!" Jaken roared. "That looks _nothing_ like my gorgeous self! My ears are _not_ that big and I _do not_ have wrinkles like that!!"

"Actually," Kagome cut in as Jaken paused for breath, "It's name is Yoda. He's a character in a series of sci fi movies. But if you want to call it Jaken, you should. They do look alike."

"Do not!" Jaken protested vehemently, but he was ignored. After a moment more, he realized that no one was listening and, with his sleeve dramatically covering his tearing eyes, fled the group.

"Thank you, Kagome-sama," Rin said shyly. Completely absorbed with trying to open the packaging, Rin let Kagome coax her into Kaede's hut where she said she had a pair of "scissors," whatever those were. Shippo scampered after the girls and Kirara started playing with the balls of wrapping paper. Sango and Miroku lapsed into a previous conversation as they drifted towards the hut, leaving Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru alone.

Inuyasha tentatively nudged the bag with his foot, his nose twitching in distaste.

With a slightly malicious smile, Sesshoumaru spoke.

"If you wish to roll in it, by all means, do not let my presence stop you," he commented casually, his amber eyes lit with sardonic humor. In a rare good mood, Sesshoumaru found himself apathetic towards making the effort to kill his half brother. Regarding the hanyou with nothing more than instinctive distaste, he could not keep himself from verbally baiting the other inu.

Inuyasha was quick to take offense, his gold eyes flashing with instant anger.

"I do _not_ want to roll in it!" the hanyou insisted furiously. "I was wondering how to get _rid_ of it."

"Do not concern yourself," Sesshoumaru replied, his expression abruptly shifting from open, mocking humor to thoughtful preoccupation. "I will take care of it."

"Taking it off so _you_ can roll in it?" Inuyasha shot back, his tone sarcastic.

Sesshoumaru shot him a quelling frown. "If you can do nothing more than parrot back other's insults, then I suggest you remain quiet."

When Inuyasha returned his frown, Sesshoumaru continued. "I will properly dispose of it. Should Rin inquire about its fate, I will be able to tell her about it exactly."

Ignoring Inuyasha altogether, Sesshoumaru smiled, his expression at once smug and shrewd. "Besides, I have a use for it yet…"


	12. Fin

Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

# Handprint _fin_ #

When Sesshoumaru returned to his group after being absent a handful of days, they greeted him with their usual curious queries as to where he had been. Neither of them seemed to notice anything different about his person and with inward satisfaction, he remained mute and secretive about his trip. Looking well groomed and pleased with himself, he removed a small rice paper package from his kimono and held it out in front of Rin's nose.

"This belongs to you," he said by way of an explanation, letting it go as she reached up to grasp it in both hands.

With eyes as big as saucers, Rin numbly accepted the package. Her eyes flickered over to rest on Jaken, who gave a helpless shrug, as mystified by Sesshoumaru's actions as she was. Shifting her weight restlessly underneath his direct, pointed gaze, she glanced up at Sesshoumaru with confusion on her face.

"Well?" he asked impatiently, "Open it."

Rin gave him a quick smile of relief mixed with anticipation. Needing no further prompting, she tore it open, almost dropping the thing inside as she fought her way through the layers of paper. She made a quick grab for it, and he watched her expression change as her fingers encountered the silk. Slowly, with dawning realization, Rin stripped the small, white puppy of the last of the wrapping. Handling it as if it was breakable, she gave it a thorough and critical inspection before turning awe-struck, confused eyes to Sesshoumaru.

"But Rin thought…" she trailed off, frustration flashing across her face as she struggled to find words to voice her question.

"The old one had to be disposed of," he told her gently. "This one is made from cloth woven from the threads of youkai silk worms. _This_ one will never stain."

Mutely, with puzzled perplexity on her face, she turned the toy over and over in her hands.

"Will it not suffice?" he purred with sudden, sharp edged temper.

Startled, Rin quickly looked up to meet his eyes.

"Rin likes it," she assured him meekly, still toying with the puppy in her grasp, "But…"

"Yes?" he urged her impatiently.

Eyeing him speculatively, with direct stare that was slightly unsettling in its intensity, Rin continued on.

"Will Sesshoumaru-sama still…keep away Rin's nightmares?" she forced out, looking up at him with half hopeful, half wary eyes.

"Is that still necessary, now that you have the puppy?" Sesshoumaru countered her question with carefully cultivated neutrality.

Rin nodded firmly. "Rin would rather have Sesshoumaru-sama," she added with a touch of entreaty in her voice.

Sesshoumaru smiled imperceptivity.

"Do you not want the puppy then?" he asked with mild curiosity, his mood indulgent.

"No! Rin will keep Sesshoumaru!" she answered at once, her tone sure and slightly challenging, as if she expected him to take it back.

The slight hints of his smile vanished and he glanced away to hide the flash of jealousy that flared in his eyes. His gaze came to rest on Jaken, who snapped his gaping mouth shut under the weight of Sesshoumaru's threatening glare.

"What do you say Rin?" Jaken prompted the distracted girl.

Looking up from where she was rummaging in Ahun's saddle bags, Rin pulled out her "Jaken" as she turned back to Sesshoumaru.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she piped obediently; offering him a bright, easy smile. She missed his brief, curt nod of acknowledgement as she returned her attention to the imp. "Look, Jaken-sama!" she exclaimed. "See? Rin has a Jaken _and_ a Sesshoumaru now!"

"Stupid!" Jaken protested, making a desperate grab for the little green toy, "I TOLD YOU THAT IS **NOT** ME!"

For a moment, Sesshoumaru remained, watching Rin dance about, waving the toy around out of Jaken's reach. Satisfied that both his companions were occupied enough to not immediately notice his absence, he slipped away into the forest to steal a moment alone. Letting the quiet serenity seep into his soul, he gradually eased the stiff control he normally imposed upon himself. Immediately, his mind wandered to the subject that was never far from his thoughts.

_Rin._

_Precious little girl._

_Beautiful smile._

Allowing himself to lean back against a tree, allowing his head to fall back so that his silver bangs hid the majority of his face, he let the quiet smile he'd been suppressing to surface at last. Reaching into his kimono, he pulled out a folded piece of silk. He fingered the neatly hemmed edges, shaking it out and placing it flat on the solid surface of his thigh. He then traced the outside of the small handprint with one claw, his attention absorbed with the idle task as, in a rare moment of self indulgence, he let his emotions wash over him unhindered.

Life—_her _life—was too short to waste. As much as he was able to, he would take care to see that all her needs were met.

Sesshoumaru splayed his hand over Rin's handprint, bemused again by the size difference. She was just a human girl…and he was an inu taiyoukai. He was not, and would never be human…but he would do his best to see that she never suffered because of her association with him.

As long as she was with him, he would consider her his to care for and keep safe.

Folding up the silk square, Sesshoumaru tucked it into his kimono, returning it to its resting place against his skin. For as long as he lived, he knew he would keep it there, reminding him of the handprint one little girl had left on his heart.


End file.
